Mr. Pierce observes that our author has been evidently arguing from a tremendous judgment of God upon the ancient Israelites, the ancestors of those to whom this epistle is directed; and in this verse, to press upon them that care and diligence he had been recommending, he sets before them the efficacy and virtue of the word of God, connecting this verse with the former by a for in the beginning of it; and therefore it is natural to suppose that what he says of the word of God may have a relation to somewhat remarkable in that sore punishment of which he had been speaking, particularly to the destruction of the people by lightning, or fire from heaven. What a pity it had not been in the text, as all the smaller Bibles have no marginal readings, and many simple people are bewildered with the expression. a propitiatory, the place where God and man are to meet. Draw Near to the Throne of Grace with Confidence. See 1 Thessalonians 5:23. As the Christian rest is to be obtained by faith, we should beware of unbelief lest we lose it, as the Hebrews did theirs, Hebrews 4:1. Mr. Wesley's note on this verse is expressed with his usual precision and accuracy: -, "For the word of God - preached, Hebrews 4:2, and armed with threatenings, Hebrews 4:3, is living and powerful - attended with the power of the living God, and conveying either life or death to the hearers; sharper than any two-edged sword - penetrating the heart more than this does the body; piercing quite through, and laying open, the soul and spirit, joints and marrow - the inmost recesses of the mind, which the apostle beautifully and strongly expresses by this heap of figurative words; and is a discerner, not only of the thoughts, but also of the intentions.". That thus coming, feeling, and calling, we may have the utmost confidence; for we have boldness, liberty of access, freedom of speech; may plead with our Maker without fear; and expect all that heaven has to bestow; because Jesus, who died, sitteth upon the throne! He is the ruler of the heart, and can turn it where he pleases. The thread which unifies chapter 1 is that the Son is superior to the angels. Should the most nutritive aliment be received into the stomach, if not mixed with the above juices, it would be rather the means of death than of life; or, in the words of the apostle, it would not profit, because not thus mixed. (Hebrews Commentary online) Hebrews 4:16-note Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. - When the soul is thus distinguished from the spirit, by the former is meant that inferior faculty by which we think of and desire what concerns our present being and welfare. How to enter God’s rest. The object of these words … fear--not with slavish terror, but godly "fear and trembling" ( Philippians 2:12 ). Hath ceased from his own works - No longer depends on the observance of Mosaic rites and ceremonies for his justification and final happiness. Christmas is the Festival of the Incarnation. All these are reasons why we should persevere. We'll send you an email with steps on how to reset your password. To these he answers: We have a High Priest who is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God; therefore let us hold fast our profession. That Jesus Christ, the eternal, uncreated Word, is not meant here, is more than probable from this consideration, that St. Paul, in no part of his thirteen acknowledged epistles, ever thus denominates our blessed Lord; nor is he thus denominated by any other of the New Testament writers except St. John. The day or time of rest relative to the ancient Jews being over and past, and a long time having elapsed between God's displeasure shown to the disobedient Jews in the wilderness and the days of David, and the true rest not having been enjoyed, God in his mercy has instituted another day - has given another dispensation of mercy and goodness by Christ Jesus; and now it may be said, as formerly, To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Necessary to Methodist Students. Hebrews 4:10 Parallel Verses [⇓ See commentary ⇓] Hebrews 4:10, NIV: "for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his." This is a part of our liberty or boldness; we come up to the throne, and we call aloud for mercy, and God hears and dispenses the blessing we need. (1-2) The warning is repeated: don’t miss God’s rest. Through him we have confidence to come to God, Hebrews 4:16. See Hammond, Whitby, Sykes, and Pierce. Hebrews 4 – Entering Into His Rest A. That the phrase was applied to denominate the second subsistence in the glorious Trinity, by Philo and the rabbinical writers, I have already proved in my notes on John 1, where such observations are alone applicable. It is not likely that he who does not credit a threatening, when he comes to hear it, will be deterred by it from repeating the sin against which it is levelled; nor can he derive comfort from a promise who does not believe it as a pledge of God's veracity and goodness. He took our flesh and blood, a human body and a human soul, and lived a human life. The rest promised to the Hebrews was a type of that promised to Christians, Hebrews 4:3-10. But instead of attending to the word of the Lord by Moses, the whole congregation murmured against him and Aaron, and said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt; Numbers 14:2, Numbers 14:4. The apostle shows that, although Joshua did bring the children of Israel into the promised land, yet this could not be the intended rest, because long after this time the Holy Spirit, by David, speaks of this rest; the apostle, therefore, concludes. The Word of God can probe us like a surgeon’s expert scalpel, cutting away what needs to be cut and keeping what needs to be kept (Hebrews 4:12). "It is logical to conclude that the other six days of Creation typify 6,000 years of man's government on earth. Article Images Copyright © 2020 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Reader, watch and be sober. By spirit is meant a superior power by which we prefer future things to present, by which we are directed to pursue truth and right above all things, and even to despise what is agreeable to our present state, if it stand in competition with, or is prejudicial to, our future happiness. Hebrews 4:9-10 WE lose much of the meaning of this passage by our superficial habit of transferring it to a future state. So, even at the throne of grace, or great propitiatory, no help can be expected where there is no cry, and where there is no cry there is no felt necessity; for he that feels he is perishing will cry aloud for help, and to such a cry the compassionate High Priest will run; and the time of need is the time in which God will show mercy; nor will he ever delay it when it is necessary. The Word of God is always an issue in our lives. Rebus aliis omissis, hoc agamus; All things else omitted, this one thing let us do. Lest any man fall - Lest he fall off from the grace of God, from the Gospel and its blessings, and perish everlastingly. 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